Instead, his plan is to try to reach a plea deal that could end the lengthy court process.
Herzog said on Sunday that he would consider the request for clemency only after all possibilities of reaching an agreement between the parties involved outside the courtroom had been exhausted. With that, he made it clear that a decision is not expected in the near future.
He believes that such an agreement would represent the best solution in this case.
“The President therefore believes that efforts to reach an agreement between the parties, outside the courtroom, should be exhausted before considering the pardon request itself,” he said in a statement.
The statement comes after The New York Times reported that Herzog plans to mediate a settlement, which would further delay a decision on a possible pardon.
Netanyahu, who denies allegations of bribery, fraud and breach of trust, has been on trial for nearly a decade.
The trial, which began in 2020, caused deep political divisions in Israel and marked a period with five election cycles between 2019 and 2022. New elections are scheduled for the end of October 2026.
The president’s office did not confirm that settlement negotiations had already begun, while no comment was received from the prime minister’s office.
Netanyahu applied for the pardon in November. According to Israeli law, the president has the power to pardon convicted persons, but there is no practice for such a decision to be made while the trial is ongoing.
US President Donald Trump has previously expressed support for his pardon several times, including during the period in March during the conflict with Iran, when the trial was temporarily suspended.
Netanyahu is due back in court as early as this week, continuing the process that has seen him become the first sitting Israeli prime minister to be charged with crimes.
(Vijesti.ba)
